Babaganoush recipe

[UmmSqueakster 54]

Hey, kinda seperate from the Ramadan recipes thread, I got some eggplants from the farmer's market and want to make babaganoush. Anyone have any tried and true recipes?

[Bosco 1]

I don't use a recipe for either hummus or baba ghanoush - just wing it.

I cook the eggplant in the oven until it softens. It really depends on the size. I set my oven to 400. To cool it, I stick it in cool water. Peel it when I can. Scoop it out.

Usually, I puree the eggplant somewhat before adding the other ingredients. Then I add a few tablespoons of tahini, one or two cloves of garlic. It really depends on the size of the eggplant. Puree some more, adding lemon juice as I go along to watch the consistency. Add a little salt and a tiny bit of cayenne. I prefer a really smooth texture, so I puree until it is smooth. Some prefer it more chunky. Pour a good quality of olive oil on the top.

[UmmSqueakster 54]

*shaking* I'm so not a good cook. Winging it is very very scary *eep* Oh well, I have 3 of them, so if I screw up on the first one, I can always try again.

[iceyspots 0]

Eww.. chunky baba ghanouj ?!

[Jenn! 918]

Can you believe I don't like hummus OR babaganoush?

[UmmSqueakster 54]

Can you believe I don't like hummus OR babaganoush?

Blasphemer!

I was actually stunned when I went to Egypt the first time and realized that hummus wasn't popular there. They usually just mix tahina with vinegar, water, lemon juice and garlic and have this really soupy type thing that you dip your bread in.

[Henia 11]

Baba Ghanouj

3 large eggplant

3/4 cup tahini (sesame seed paste*)

1/2 cup lemon juice

2 teaspoons minced or pressed garlic

1 teaspoon cumin

Pinch of cayenne

1 teaspoon salt

• Broil or barbecue the eggplants, turning often, until the skin is blackened and blistered and the meat is tender, about 20 or 30 minutes . Let them cool for about 10 minutes and then peel the skin from the eggplant.
  

• 
  

• Squeeze the cooked eggplant meat to release excess liquid.
  

• 
  

• Puree the eggplant and all other ingredients in a blender or food processor.
  

• 
  

• Spread onto a serving dish and garnish pita bread wedges, lemons, olives, parsely radishes and green onions.
  

[iceyspots 0]

yay henia to the rescue

[jordanianprincess 0]

I don't use a recipe for either hummus or baba ghanoush - just wing it.

I cook the eggplant in the oven until it softens. It really depends on the size. I set my oven to 400. To cool it, I stick it in cool water. Peel it when I can. Scoop it out.

Usually, I puree the eggplant somewhat before adding the other ingredients. Then I add a few tablespoons of tahini, one or two cloves of garlic. It really depends on the size of the eggplant. Puree some more, adding lemon juice as I go along to watch the consistency. Add a little salt and a tiny bit of cayenne. I prefer a really smooth texture, so I puree until it is smooth. Some prefer it more chunky. Pour a good quality of olive oil on the top.

I agree, there is really no recipe. There are the basic ingredients, but everyone has their preferences to the taste of it. Some like it with more garlic, some with lots of tahini, some with more lemon, some like it smooth, some chunkier (course). It all really depends on your taste buds. I prefer mine wiht lots of lemon, little garlic, and very smooth. I add extra water to make it smoother.

The good thing is, even if you don't cook, this is one hard to screw up. Baking..yes you need to follow the recipe, but with cooking there is so much flexibility

[UmmSqueakster 54]

Well, I can bake and I love garlic, so we'll see how this turns out. This should definatley be an interesting episode in rahma's kitchen adventures. I'm going to bring it to my friend's house as the snack during our wedding prep session (her wedding, not mine, sigh), so I'm hoping I won't poison them or anything

[jordanianprincess 0]

Well, I can bake and I love garlic, so we'll see how this turns out. This should definatley be an interesting episode in rahma's kitchen adventures. I'm going to bring it to my friend's house as the snack during our wedding prep session (her wedding, not mine, sigh), so I'm hoping I won't poison them or anything

Oh a really nice twist to the baking the eggplant is putting it on the BBQ wrapped in foil for an hour. It gets a nice smokey flavor, we do that at home when me BBQ.

You would need to wrap in foil though.

[Bosco 1]

I agree, there is really no recipe. There are the basic ingredients, but everyone has their preferences to the taste of it. Some like it with more garlic, some with lots of tahini, some with more lemon, some like it smooth, some chunkier (course). It all really depends on your taste buds. I prefer mine wiht lots of lemon, little garlic, and very smooth. I add extra water to make it smoother.

The good thing is, even if you don't cook, this is one hard to screw up. Baking..yes you need to follow the recipe, but with cooking there is so much flexibility

Exactly, and sometimes you find the garlic in your house is sort of bland so you would use more. Likewise, fresh lemons can vary in taste/strength. If you wing it adding a little as you go along, you can suit it to your tastes each time. I made the *perfect* hummus the other day for my husband but for me it was blah, lol.

[UmmSqueakster 54]

Thanks for all the advice. I'm planning on making this on Saturday. Should my eggplants be good through then? I think they were picked fresh today.

Also, got some zuchinni. I'm planning on making this bread recipe (except instead of extract, I'm using real vanilla bean innards scraped out and seeped in the shortening). I'll let you all know how it turns out.

Edited July 27, 2006 by rahma

[jordanianprincess 0]

Thanks for all the advice. I'm planning on making this on Saturday. Should my eggplants be good through then? I think they were picked fresh today.

Also, got some zuchinni. I'm planning on making this bread recipe (except instead of extract, I'm using real vanilla bean innards scraped out and seeped in the shortening). I'll let you all know how it turns out.

The eggplants should be fine. By the way, you can make the base recipe of tahini and eggplant and store in your fridge. Add the garlic and lemon before you serve. When we have parties, we often make the hummos and babaghanouj 1-2 days in advance and add the garlic and lemon before we serve it. If you don't like it cold, let it sit our for an hour before you serve it. Its a great way to save time.

The garlic changes the taste of it when its stored in the fridge.

[Henia 11]

yay henia to the rescue

Henia to the recuse huh?

Dude I couldnt save myself !!!!

We will see after 9/5 who will be recusing who? Hmm...I will have your number on speed dial LOL